Shoe lining and process of making the same



July 14, 1931. M. J. MCGRML 1,814,518

SHOE LINING AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Sept. 5. 1929 Patented July 314, i931 PATENT OFFICE MICHAEL J. MCGRAIL, OF GARDINER, MA'INE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

BOSTON IVIACHINE WORKS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSAOHUSETTS SHOE LINING AND PROCESS MAKING THE SAME Application filed September 5, 1929. Serial No. 390,521.

This invention pertains to the manufacture of footwear and relates more particularly to an improved pieced lining for boots or shoes and to a process for making the same. In order to economize material as well as to save work in fitting the lining, it is customary to make the vamp lining, for example, from two pieces of textile fabric which are united by a lapped seamextending rearwardly from the toe tip along the top of the instep. As it is not practical to skive or bevel the edges of textile fabric to reduce the thickness of thejoint, it is found that when the upper is pulled over the last in the lasting operation, the double thickness of lining atthe seam produces a ridge in the leather, or.other material forming the outer element of the upper, and the operator must smooth down this ridge by hammering the leather until the seam in the lining is embedded in the inner surface of the leather. sumes the time of the skilled laster; it tends to injure and weaken the thinner and more delicate materials; and it frequently results in bruising or knocking off the surface finish at the toe tip.

In accordance with the present invention, 1 provide a novel form of lining-construction and process of making it which elimi-.

nates. the disadvantages resulting from the usual mode of connecting the parts forming a pieced lining, making it wholly unnecessary to hammer the upper to smooth it after lasting, thus saving very considerably in the cost of manufacture, and at the same time i producing a better, more durable, and more comfortable shoe.

. While I have hereinabove made reference to a vamp lining in describing the utility of my invention, I apprehend that the invention may be useful with reference to other shoe lining parts consisting of two or more pieces and whether such parts be made of compressible textile fabric or other appropriate material, since even if the lining be.

made of a material which may be sklved, the present process obviates the necessity for skiving and is less expensive than the skiving operation.

This hammering operation con- In the accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated certain desirable steps as comprised in my preferred process and have shown the article resulting therefrom,

Fig. 1 is a composite plan view illustrating two pieces of sheet material adapted collectively to form the forepart or vamp lining of an oxford shoe.

Fig. 2 is a plan View illustrating the com-; pletion of the first step in uniting the parts\ of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section (exaggerated in thickness) on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic sections illustrating certain subsequent steps in the operation.

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the appearance of the completed two-part lining member,and;

Fig. 7 is a transverse section (of exaggerated thickness) on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Referring-to the drawing the first step in my improved process consists in. cutting or stamping out the parts necessary collectively to form the desired pieced hning. These parts are made from suitable material useful as a lining for a shoe upper such, for example, as textile/fabric, the material being characterized in having sufiicient strength and pliability to permit lasting the shoe in accordance with 'usual methods and being also of the pervious character which is apparently necessary in a shoe lining material. For example, in Fig. 1 the parts 1 and 2 have substantially straight edges 3 and 4 and are adapted when such edges are overlapped and united to form the forepart lining of an oxford shoe. Commonly, the parts forming the lining are made from woven .cloth such as form a multi-ply joint. Thus, for example,

' strong but pliable cotton duck or the like, 96

as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, this joint may beformed by a sewed seam consisting of stitches 5. Down to this point, the process is substantially like the usual process and as clearly shown in Fig. 3 results in the formation of a joint between the parts which is substantially double the normal thickness of th orig nal fabric.

In accordance with the present invention, I now subject this joint to the combined action of heat and pressure. To facilitate this operation I may provide a relatively narrow stationary table member 6, preferably of metal and having a cavity for the reception of a heating element 7, for example, an electrical resistance coil. I also provide a complementary movable pressing element 8, also desirably having heatingmeans 9. The member 8 may be caused to approach the member 6 by means of any suitable means or mechanism, for example, a toggle linkage or a screw (not shown) with a very considerable pressure, for example, a pressure of several tons.

After uniting the parts 1 and 2 as above described, I introduce them between the members 6 and 8 as shown in'Fig. 4 and then cause the part 8 to descend so as to subject the joint between the parts 1 and 2 to the combined action of heat and heavy pressure.

During the manufacture of textile fabric of the kind used for shoe linings and the like, the constituent yarns are treated with sizing material, for example, starch, and during the finishing operation the material is also dressed-with starch or other sizing to make it firm and smooth. As is usual in modern shoe making practice, the lining material is moistened, for example, by subjecting it a mulling operation, that is, to a moist atmosphere for a certain period until it has absorbed a considerable quantity of moisture. Even though this mulling operation be omitted the material always contains a certain per cent of moisture absorbed from the atmosphere. When the material is subjected to combined heat and pressure, as above described, the sizing in the material apparently'becomes adhesive to some extent due perhaps to the action of the included moisture. vDuring the compression the overlapping plys of the material are condensed so that their aggregate thickness is not substantially greater than the thickness of a single original ply, the extreme edge apparent y tending to feather out until it mer es smoothly and without a preciable shoul er into the surface of the ot er ly. When the pressure is removed it is ound that the cementitious sizing material has hardened or set, perhaps through the dehydrating action of the heat,'giving a slightly glossy appearance to the joint and apparently acting to cement the plys together so that when the lining is subsequently applied to the shoe, the extreme feather edges of the plys do not tend to separate but remain indefinitely in and snug union with the opposite ply.

In dealing with textile fabric of the kind usuallyemployed, I find as above described 6. That process of making a pieced lining thickness of "grega sive be employed, for'example, adhesive of the cellulose derivative type, the stitching may be omitted entirely.

While I have hereinabove described the process as a plied to the formation of a twopart vamp ining, it is to be understood as equally applicable to the manufacture of linings for other parts of the'shoe, and that the order of process steps herein described may be varied asdesired within the scope of the invention.

I claim: I

v 1. A lining for a shoe upper comprising pieces of strong, pliable, pervious, and com pressible sheet material of a kind suitable for use as a shoe lining, said pieces being overlapped to forma multi-ply joint, the overlapping plies at the joint being so condensed that the aggregate thickness of the several plies is not substantially-greater than the v a single ply ofthe normal sheet materiah I 2. A shoe lining comprising two pieces of compressible textile fabric overlapping "and being united to form a two-ply oint, the

edge of each ply at the joint merging smoothly into the surface of the other ply, and the aggregate thickness of the several plies at the joint being not substantially greater than that of a single ply of the normal-sheet material.

3. A shoe lining comprising two pieces of textile fabric overlapping to form a two-ply joint, and cementitious material uniting the overlapping plies, the overlapping portions of the material being so condensed that the edge of each ply merges smoothly into the surface of the other ply.

4. A shoe lining comprisin two pieces of sized and compressible texti e fabric overlapping to 'form a two-ply joint, stitches uniting said plies, the overlapping plies being so condensed that the aggregate thickness ofthe several lies is not substantially greaterthan that of a single ply, said overlapping plies being further united by the sizing material.

5. That process of making a pieced shoe lining part which comprises preparing a plurality of pieces of compressible textile fabric adapted collectively to form the desired lining part, causing'the edges of said plies to overlap to form a multi-ply joint, and sub jectin the overlapping plies to pressure where y to reduce the several plies to an agte thickness not substantially greater than the thickness of a single ply of the original fabric.

' cause the edge of each ply to merge smoothly for a shoe upper which com' rises preparin two pieces of a strong, pliab e, pervious an v compressible sheet material suitable for use in lining a shoe and adapted. collectively to form the desired lining part,-overlapping the edges of said pieces to form a two-zply joint, and subjecting the overlapping pies to pressure such as to condense them and into the surface of the other ply.

7. That process'of making a pieced shoe lining part which comprises preparing two pieces of textile fabric adapted collectively to form the desired part, disposing the edges of said pieces in overlapping 'relation and' causing said overlapping pieces to adhere by the action of cementitlous material while subjecting them to pressure such as to cause the edge of each ply to merge smoothly into the surface of the other 'ly.

8. That process of ma 'ng a pieced shoe lining part which comprises preparing two pieces of sized textile fabric adapted collectively to form the desired part, disposing the edges of said pieces in overlapping relation and subjecting the overlapping portions to combined heat and pressure whereby to cause the sizing material to soften and become adhes'ive while condensing the overlapping; plies to an aggregate thickness not substan-- tially greater than that of a single ply of the original fabric.

9. That process of making a pieced shoe lining part which comfprises pre parmg two pieces of sized textile abric adapted collectively to form the vdesired part; disposing the edges of the pieces in-overlapping relation, umting said overlapping. ed es by a sewed seam, and after the fabric as been mois- 'tened, sub ecting said overlapping edges to combined heat "and pressure suflicient tocause the sizing material to become adhesive and tocondense the overlapping plies to-an aggregate thickness not greatly exceeding that of a single original ply.

' Signed by me at Gardiner, Maine this 31 day of Aug. 1929..

' .1 MI HAELJ.M0GRAI L. 

